West Virginia University quarterback Geno Smith earned a pair of prestigious preseason honors on Wednesday.
The senior signal caller, who has made 26 consecutive starts under center for the Mountaineers, was named the Big 12 Conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Smith was also selected on Wednesday as one of 34 players named to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Watch List.
The 2012 All-Big 12 Conference football team is chosen by media representatives that cover the conference.
Texas' Alex Akafor and Oklahoma's Trey Metoyer were also picked for Big 12 individual awards. Akafor was billed as the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while Metoyer was chosen as Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
The Preseason Big 12 poll will be released on Thursday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days on July 23-24
Smith, who is projected to make a run at the Heisman Trophy in West Virginia's first season in he Big 12, threw for 4,385 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. His passing yards was fourth among NCAA quarterbacks in 2011.
He was also a first-team All-Big East Conference performer after leading the Mountaineers to the league title a year ago. Smith was named Most Valuable Player of the Orange Bowl after setting four BCS bowl records in the West Virginia's 70-33 rout of Clemson.
The Davey O'Brien Watch List features the best returning quarterbacks in the nation, based on their performance from the previous season and expectations entering the 2012 campaign.
The award is presented annually to the nation's best quarterback and is the oldest and one of the most prestigious awards handed out.
Seven 2011 semifinalists are included on the Watch List: Matt Barkley (USC), Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Seth Doege (Texas Tech), Landry Jones (Oklahoma), Keith Price (Washington), Denard Robinson (Michigan) and Tyler Wilson (Arkansas).
Robert Griffin III won the honor last season and was also the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner.
The Davey O'Brien Winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 6.
